Very little progress made at People's Progressive Convention

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cratic and Republican parties tell us that by electing one of their presidential candidates we will making a real On Aug. 21-23, 352 people from 31 states met in choice. Every four years, we are bombarded by media Ypsilanti, Mich. The call for this gathering, billed as the campaigns that only the rich can afford. And every four People's Progressive Convention, had promised: "We years, we hear the same promises and platitudes which will take steps to unify into an ongoing, independent, if it is not possible to shut down the country, activists But despite this, many conference participants did not should set their sights as high as possible-shutting recognize the futility of working for candidates of these big business parties. Buttons for the Democratic candidate While conference participants made frequent favorable for U.S. Senate from Illinois, Carol Moseley Braun, dotreferences to Daniels' proposal, they clearly recognized it ted the audience. "Explaining Inside/Outside and as unrealistic, since no one proposed any steps for imple- National/Local Electoral Strategies" was one of the six menting such a campaign. One participant in the Great Lakes regional caucus meeting pointed out that Daniels Daniels is past executive director of the National Rainbow Coalition and served as deputy director for Jesse Jackson's 1988 Democratic Party presidential campaign.

The convention call includes favorable references to the These promised militant street actions—which will Rainbow Coalition. Throughout his campaign, Daniels either never occur or be small and limited to radicals has advocated pressing the Democratic Party to enact serve as a left cover for the actual failure to break from A simple proposal that the PPN not endorse the The convention call said: "Every four years, the Demo- cratic or Republican parties or their candidates permanent, grassroots movement. We will show the country and the world that in this election year, 1992, we are not only disgusted and angry at the corruption, hypocrisy, oppression, and injustice coming out of Washington, D.C., state and local governments, and the transnational corporate establishment. We will take concrete steps to do something at this national gathering. "

The conference voted to form the People's Progressive Network (PPN). Some saw this as a new organization; others as a communications network to better facilitate information sharing and cooperation among existing groups. These contradictory conceptions of what was being established colored the debates.

Those who viewed the PPN as a new organization bringing together socialists, environmentalists, feminists, people of color, and gay and lesbian activists, proposed that it initiate various actions. Others argued that this was not its role, that it should simply publicize actions that other groups called.

In his Saturday morning convention address, conference initiator and presidential candidate Ron Daniels proposed a series of actions next spring designed to shut down the country. He compared this to the recent South African general strike. He added that down a state, city, or workplace.

had not listed any demands for this action.

No break from Democrats the Democratic and Republican parties.

4 SOCIALIST ACTION reforms.

seem to evaporate right after election day. beg your pardon," said Alice, "but you is the Democrat?" conference working groups.

SEPTEMBER 1992 date. pettin power. "

which of tions Committee.

independent of capitalist politics.

and counter-culturalists.

Demostirred Left of the 1960s is doomed to failure.

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lions of Americans out of work. When